Lewis Ware 20

Description

A convicted paedophile who attempted to engage in sexual activity with a child has been jailed after he failed to disclose a mobile phone and his address to the authorities. He also tried to prevent his phone from being accessed by failing to properly use his thumb on a scanner.

Lewis Ware, 20, was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements in 2023, following his conviction of speaking to a decoy pretending to be a 14-year-old girl. He also has convictions for assault by penetration, sexual assault and engaging in sexual communication with a child, as well as multiple breaches of the orders he is subjected to.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard Ware was prohibited from possessing a mobile phone unless he makes his offender manager aware.

He was also prohibited from concealing passwords or codes for his mobile phone.

Following his release from custody on February 17 this year, he failed to attend a police station within three days to make the authorities aware of his address.

On February 25, the defendant was visited by his offender manager and he was arrested for failing to comply with his notification requirements.

Prosecutor Abigail Jackson said the officer saw a Samsung phone which Ware admitted to owning and he was asked to unlock the device with his thumbprint.

He didn't comply with this and and failed to put his phone fully on the scanner.

A brief review of the phone revealed it had access to social media apps including Instagram and Snapchat, which he was prohibited from using.

Ware, of Broadway, Cardiff, later pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements.

In mitigation, defence barrister David Pinnell the defendant had the reading age of a six-year-old and had been diagnosed with ADHD.

Judge Eugene Egan sentenced Ware to a total of 40 weeks imprisonment.